At close to three hours long, Grand Valley State University’s student senate meeting was chalk full of eventful discussions, awards and resolutions. 

In addition to their discussion about election guidelines, here are some other highlights during their Thursday, March 23, general assembly meeting:

– Trevor Fairfield and Jarret Basset were honored and recognized for their heroic actions after saving a woman from a head-on car crash. Fairfield and Basset are first year GVSU students who were traveling down Lake Michigan Drive when they witnessed a car crash that resulted in a woman becoming trapped in her car as it started to burn. The roommates pried her door open and pulled her out of her car, which authorities said saved her life. The students were presented with an award from GVSU President Thomas Haas and student senate president Ella Fritzemeier. Senate also passed a resolution to honor their heroic work. 

-The budget for next year was discussed. There will also be another opportunity for discussion at next week’s meeting taking place Thursday, March 30, where voting will also take place. Senators talked and voiced their concerns about the cut to the student senate budget, the additions to the media budget and 

-Tom Butcher, GVSU’s university counsel, game to talk to the senators. He talked about the new free speech policies that were implemented at GVSU after a federal lawsuit with two students.

-Fritzemeier was awarded the President Emeritus Award by Haas and dean of students Eileen Sullivan for her outstanding work at GVSU and her dedication to student senate. 

– Jen Hsu-Bishop, director of the LGBT Center at GVSU, spoke about updates from the center and the climate toward LGBTQ people on campus. Hsu-Bishop said GVSU is in the works of trying to help students use preferred names and pronouns over their legal names.

– Student senate passed a resolution supporting the Fall Break. It will be given to administration for them to consider implementing it.